Expectation – March 29, 2023

The creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.
Romans 8:19

Expectation

For years, the last word in telescopes was the Hubble Space Telescope, orbiting the earth at about 340 miles. But no more. The James Webb telescope launched on Christmas Day, 2021. It now orbits the earth at a distance of about 900,000 miles. It is the largest optical telescope in space, with an “eye” about six times larger than that of the Hubble. It is also the most sophisticated. The pictures it has been able to take of God’s creation have been spectacular. You and I can now go online and see stars and galaxies formerly invisible to all previous telescopes. In Psalm 19, God’s Word says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” The pictures coming back from the James Webb telescope only put an exclamation point on that ageless truth.

As you have opportunity, take a moment to pull up those pictures. Scroll through the images. Be amazed by the breathtaking beauty of the stars, the nebulas, the galaxies, or the riveting, close-up detail of our own planets. As you do, however, keep in mind something else that is also astounding. God’s Word tells us that all of this—all that we can see and beyond what we can see—all of this is waiting in eager expectation for something. It is waiting in eager expectation for the Lord of all creation to bring the presence and effects of sin to an end. It is waiting for him to create a new heaven and a new earth (2 Peter 3:13). It is waiting for the Last Day. It is waiting for Jesus.

Indeed, it always comes back to Jesus. Whether it’s viewing the vastness of the universe through the latest telescope or considering the twists and turns of our own personal lives—it always comes back to Jesus. It comes back to the one who came to rescue us from the curse of our sin. It comes back to the one who lived and suffered and died on our behalf. It comes back to the one who rose. It comes back to the one who reigns.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, all creation awaits your return in eager expectation. Help me remember this. Amen.